Gloria Horsley

Dr. Gloria Horsley is an internationally known grief expert, psychotherapist, and bereaved parent. She started "Open to Hope" to help the millions in the world with grief. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Nurse Specialist, and has worked in the field of family therapy for over 20 years. Dr. Horsley hosts the syndicated internet radio show, The Grief Blog which is one of the top ranked shows on Health Voice America. She serves the Compassionate Friends in a number of roles including as a Board of Directors, chapter leader, workshop facilitator, and frequently serves as media spokesperson. Dr. Horsley is often called on to present seminars throughout the country. She has made appearances on numerous television and radio programs including "The Today Show," "Montel Williams," and "Sallie Jessie Raphael." In addition, she has authored a number of articles and written several books including Teen Grief Relief with Dr. Heidi Horlsey, and The In-Law Survival Guide.

Articles:

Grief From Darkness to Light

Grief impacts all of us in different ways. But, one of the best ways to visualize it is to see grief and the movement through grief to healing is going from darkness into light. With the dark, foreboding feeling that COVID-19 has caused everyone, including those already dealing with grief, it is important to talk about how we can deal with this sense of loss and be open to hope again. On our Facebook Live discussion today, Heidi and I were joined by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, the founder of the MISS Foundation and the Selah Carefarm. She is a professor at Arizona […]

Handling Emotions During COVID-19

Are you wondering what to say or how to respond to others during this stressful time? Sheltering in place for this extended amount of time can create some uncomfortable interactions for both those inside and outside of the home. Today’s Facebook Live included Dr. Jill Harrington who discussed techniques to decrease stress and moderate responses to difficult situations and conversations during COVID-19. Increased Stress Everyone has experienced more stress during COVID-19. If you are a parent, you are worried about ensuring the kids are entertained, healthy, and busy with their online school work all while you are trying to navigate […]

End of Life Issues During COVID-19

Do you have a family member who has recently died? Due to visitation restrictions, sheltering in, and social distancing, bereaved families are experiencing isolation and loneliness. Barbara Karnes, RN, author, and educator, shared her thoughts on end of life care and self care during these stressful times as part of a recent podcast. Barbara’s experiences with hospice care can help provide a unique perspective on what’s happening during COVID-19. Hospice Care in the Age of COVID-19 Hospice care already comes with many obstacles, but COVID-19 has only added to those through the shelter-in-place mandate. Families are left with guilt, shame, […]

Caregiver Burnout During COVID-19

Are you feeling worried, anxious, and exhausted? Who takes care of the caregiver? Social worker Rob Zucker, bereaved spouse and grief counselor, joined us for a discussion on our podcast about self-care during these stressful times. Rob is the author of The Journey Through Grief and Loss: Helping Yourself and Your Child When Grief is Shared. The Role of Caregiver This is a tough time for everyone, but it’s even harder for those that take on the role of caregiver. There is even more for them to do now to help keep their loved ones safe. In taking care of […]

Support For High-Risk Individuals During COVID-19

The loss of a loved one is powerful and can lead many to struggle with how to cope. Add other issues to this equation, and today’s high-risk individuals may be having a tougher time handling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. From survivors of suicide loss to those touched by death and loss in other ways, the need to shelter-in-place has made it more difficult to get much-needed support for everyone, including high-risk individuals. These high-risk individuals are those with a family history of addiction, suicide, and depression, which puts them at risk during this period of isolation. Navigating Tough Times Today, […]

Death From Drug Overdose and Survival Support During Covid-19

On today’s Facebook Live, we discussed dealing with the grief associated with losing a loved one to a drug overdose. However, we also extended that to other areas, including those impacted by drug and alcohol addiction who may have also died from suicide, impaired driving, murder, accident, or organ failure. Each year, tens of thousands die from drug overdoses while thousands more die from related situations. The loved ones left behind must address their grief, which has become even more difficult in the wake of COVID-19. The Epidemic Before the Pandemic Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were dealing with […]

Learning to Interpret Your COVID-19 Dreams

Today, our Open to Hope podcast featured Carla Blowey, a certified Dream Work Facilitator who works with the Marin Institute for Projective Dream Work alongside its founder, Jeremy Taylor. She is the author of “Dreaming Kevin: The Path to Healing.” Carla presents dream programs for individuals, groups and national bereavement organizations on-site and online. COVID-19 Dreams My daughter and co-host, Heidi, shared her own experience with COVID-19 and the accompanying dreams of a dark cloud or entity chasing her in her dreams both before and over the course of having the virus. This may be similar to what others are experiencing […]

Honoring Death Unrelated to COVID-19

Are you feeling alone and unacknowledged in your grief, especially when it involves honoring a death that is unrelated to COVID-19? It’s understandable given the intense focus on COVID-19 and the rising number of deaths from the virus. However, the reality is that loved ones are still dying due to other medical conditions, accidents, and more. We asked Dr. William G. (Bill) Hoy Clinical Professor of Medical Humanities at Baylor University to join us for a recent podcast to discuss the topic of honoring death unrelated to COVID-19. Bill is a major author and leading expert in bereavement and pastoral […]

Afghanistan to the U.S.: A Military Mom Coping with COVID-19

Which would be more anxiety producing: having a son driving a Humvee for the army in Afghanistan or testing positive for the coronavirus? On today’s Facebook Live discussion, my daughter, Dr. Heidi Horsey, and I discuss her thoughts on her son’s deployment and her recent struggle with COVID-19. The Similarities Although Heidi seems more differences between being a military parent and struggling with COVID-19, but there is a similar sense of anxiety and fear as well as the need for peer support. The support may be different in terms of physical contact and connection with other military parents while COVID-19 […]

What’s the Difference When Grieving For a Child?

The loss of any loved one is a terrible blow that hurts our hearts and leaves us inconsolable. However, when a parent loses a child, it’s a different type of grief that can be one of the toughest to overcome. I personally believe that you never “overcome”grieving for a child. But, that the sting can become less and you can learn to tolerate the pain somewhat better as time – like many years – goes by. Grieving For a Child The baring of this pain also depends on the cause. A child dying in unbearable pain is different than a […]

Open to Hope is an online community offering inspirational stories of loss, hope and recovery. We believe hope is the bridge between loss and recovery.